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Minden
Downtown Minden City Park
Minden Established in 1905 as county seat Minden, the county seat for Douglas County, is at the base of the Sierra Nevada range and has an elevation of 4,700 feet above sea level. Life in Minden offers the conveniences of small town living with all of the facilities of Lake Tahoe (20-25 minute drive) or Reno (45-50 minute drive) within easy reach. Minden is named after a small town in Germany - "Minden, Germany". The towns of Minden, Gardnerville, and Genoa make up the "Carson Valley" which offers great mountain views, four seasons, and plenty of sunshine.
As of the census of 2000, there were 2,836 people, 1,166 households, and 839 families residing in the CDP. The population density was 664.2 people per square mile (256.4/km²). There were 1,231 housing units at an average density of 288.3/sq mi (111.3/km²).
The racial makeup of the CDP was 94.04% White, 0.07% African American, 0.71% Native American, 1.13% Asian, 0.11% Pacific Islander, 2.08% from other races, and 1.87% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 6.59% of the population. There were 1,166 households out of which 28.1% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 62.4% were married couples living together, 7.7% had a female householder with no husband present, and 28.0% were non-families. 23.0% of all households were made up of individuals and 11.5% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.38 and the average family size was 2.78.
In the CDP the population was spread out with 21.9% under the age of 18, 4.4% from 18 to 24, 22.7% from 25 to 44, 27.5% from 45 to 64, and 23.5% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 46 years. For every 100 females there were 95.5 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 92.4 males.
Gardnerville
Rural Settiing in Gardnerville Nevada
Population: 4,983 • Elevation: 4,750 The Town of Gardnerville was founded in 1879 by Lawrence Gilman of Genoa when he moved the Kent House from the Genoa area to a 7-acre tract of land on the East Fork of the Carson River. Gilman had purchased the land from a homesteader, John M. Gardner, in whose honor he named the new town.
Today, Gardnerville is a thriving community in the heart of the beautiful Carson Valley. Its location is ideal for both the nature lover and the more suburban at heart: The splendor of Lake Tahoe is just a short drive to the west and Reno is less than an hour north.
Gardnerville's weather is pleasant throughout its distinctly different four seasons. Warm summer days with cool nights are balanced by the crisp chill of winter with an occasional light snowfall. Spring and fall provide tastes of each in perfect transition.
Northern Nevada has a healthy economy and the Carson Valley is no exception. Housing is plentiful and there are various communities within the area for all income levels.
Carson City
State Capitol Building Carson
City Nevada
Carson City is approximately 153 square miles in area. It abuts the Sierra Nevada Mountains which are the entrance to the basin from the west and the terminus from the east. The magnificent mountains intercept and exhaust the moisture of the air currents ever flowing from the Pacific Ocean eastward, consequently they pass comparatively rainless over the broad basin region, leaving it desert-like. Population as of 2000 census 52,457 Land Area in square miles 146 Land Area in square kilometers 371.8 Elevation 4,687' above sea level Position 39.14 degrees north of the equator and 119.74 degrees west of the prime meridian
South Lake Tahoe
The City of South Lake Tahoe is part of a broader South Shore community that includes California's El Dorado County in the Tahoe Basin and Nevada's Douglas County at Stateline & Zephyr Cove. In this section, you'll find facts, historical summaries and direct links to other informational sites related to "Our Town."
Lake Tahoe is located 200 miles northeast of San Francisco, CA. and 58 miles southwest of Reno, NV. in the Sierra Mountain Range.
Lake Tahoe is the North American Continent's largest Alpine lake and is 22 miles long, 12 miles wide, and covers a surface area of 191.6 square miles, and has 72 miles of shoreline.
Lake Tahoe is 2/3 in California and 1/3 in the State of Nevada.
The Lake's surface is 6,226.95 feet above sea level and the natural rim is 6,223 feet above sea level, making it the highest Lake of its size in the United States.
Mt. Tallac at 9,735 feet is the highest peak rising from the shoreline. The highest point in the Tahoe Basin is Freel Peak at 10,881 feet.
Lake Tahoe is the third deepest lake in North America and the tenth deepest in the world. (Lake Baikal, in Russia, is the deepest at over 4,600 feet.) Tahoe's deepest point is 1,645 feet near Crystal Bay. The average depth of Lake Tahoe is 989 feet.
The estimated 39.75 trillion gallons of water contained in the lake is 99.9 percent pure, with visibility to 75 feet below the surface.
If Lake Tahoe was completely drained, it would cover a flat area the size of California to a depth of 14 inches, but would take over 700 years to refill.
Lake Tahoe is, geologically, a "young lake" having been formed 10,000 to 11,000 years ago.
Glaciers are responsible for carving out the broad U-shaped valleys that hold Emerald Bay, Fallen Leaf Lake, and Cascade Lake.
Sixty-three streams flow into Lake Tahoe, but only one, the Truckee River, run past Reno and into Pyramid Lake.
Lake Tahoe loses much of its water to evaporation. If the water that evaporates from the Lake every 24 hours could be recovered, it would supply the daily requirements of a city the size of Los Angeles.
Although the summer's heat can warm the upper 12 feet to a comfortable 68 degrees Fahrenheit. Lake Tahoe never freezes over in the winter; this is due to the constant 39 degrees Fahrenheit maintained at depths below 700 feet, largely because of the constant movement and volume of water.
The sun shines at Lake Tahoe approximately 274 days a year. Weather in the Sierras can be unpredictable -- snow, for example, has fallen in every month and averages 420 inches a year.
Population: South Lake Tahoe, including the Stateline area, has a permanent, year-round population of 34,000.
Sunshine: The sun shines at Lake Tahoe during 75% of the year, or 274 days.
Snowfall: At lake level, annual snowfall averages 125 inches. At alpine skiing elevations, the snowfall averages 300 to 500 inches each year.
Gaming: There are six 24-hour casinos in the South Lake Tahoe area. Together, they have a total of 7,051 slot machines and 411 game tables.
Skiing: Skiers can hit the slopes on one of the 182 ski trails in the midst of more than 8,800 total ski resort acres. The longest ski run in the area is 5.5 miles long. Lake Tahoe's greatest vertical drop is 3,600 feet. Both runs are at Heavenly.
Fishing: The biggest fish ever caught in Lake Tahoe, a Mackinaw lake trout, weighed 37 pounds and 6 ounces.
Famous Residents: Famous neighbors include and have included Charles Bronson, Cher, Natalie Cole, Sammy Davis Jr., Liza Minelli, Wayne Newton and the Captain and Tennile.
Movies Filmed at Lake Tahoe: Indian Love Call, starring Jeanette McDonald, was the first movie to be filmed at Lake Tahoe in the 1920's. Subsequent films have included The Godfather, starring Al Pacino and Marlon Brando and The Bodyguard, filmed at Fallen Leaf Lake, starring Kevin Costner and Whitney Houston.
Topaz and Surrounding Communities
Topaz Lake Nevada
Topaz Lake is a reservoir located on the California-Nevada border, about 75 miles (121 km) south of Reno.
The lake was formed by diverting waters from the West Walker River into a nearby basin that had previously contained a smaller, natural lake. The initial construction took place in 1922, resulting in a reservoir with a capacity of 45,000 acre feet (56,000,000 m3). In 1937, a new levee raised the capacity to its current 59,440 acre feet (73,320,000 m3).
Topaz Lake is popular for boaters, water-skiers, campers, and fishermen. Fishing season runs from January 1 to September 30, and the lake is stocked with trout by the Nevada Department of Wildlife and the California Department of Fish and Game. The lake is easily reachable by U.S. Route 395. On the northwest shore of the lake is the Topaz Lodge, and a residential area. There is also a volunteer fire station in the area.
Route 395 passes by the west side of the lake at the California-Nevada state line. The southeastern terminus of California State Route 89 is 3 miles (4.8 km) south of the state line. The western terminus of Nevada State Route 208 is 2 miles (3.2 km) north of the state line.
Find out More
Want more information about a living in the Carson Valley? Call Bill OR Visit: visitcarsonvalley.org